Improvement in bottle-corking machines



I. ARMSTRONG.

Bottle-Corking Machines.

Patented Ot. 14, 1873.

.Vitnesses $14k AM. PHUTO'L/THOGRAPMG 00. M X IDSEOR/V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES ARMSTRONG, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOTTLE-CORKING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 143,606, dated October 14, 1873; application filed August 21, 1873.

tains to make and use my said invention or improvement without further invention .or experiment.

My invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for cor-king bottles after they are filled with liquids; and it consists, principally, in the use of an adjustable receiver and guide for the corks, which can be moved up or down to suit any height of loottle, while the standard upon which the bottle is placed and the operating-rod of the 'cork'er or plunger are so imited to one treadle that they are moved toward each other simultaneously, thus insuring a speedy and accurate corking of the bottle.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure- 1 is a perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the cork receiver and guide.

A is a base board or plate, having the post B arising from it, and to these the difl'erent portions of the apparatus are secured. The plate C, upon which the bottle is placed, is supported upon a rod, D, and this rod moves vertically through the guides E. A connectingrod, F, is hinged to one side of the rod 1), and extends to one end of a transverse vibrating bar or lever, G, the center of which is supported in boxes H upon the base-plate. A treadle, 1, serves to operate this lever, and by its means the rod D, with the plate C, is forced upward when desired. The cork receiver and guide J is a hollow cylinder, flanged at each end, and loosely supported in the guide K, so that it can move vertically. Its position is sufficiently high above the plate C to allow any sized bottle to be placed upon the plate, and it has sufficient vertical motion in its guide to adjust it to the varying heights of bottles, so that it may rest upon the top of the bottleneck over the opening, and be instantly adjusted, as shown. Above this cork-guide is the plunger L, which is secured to and moved by the rod M. This rod moves vertically in guides N, and is operated by a connecting-rod, O, which-extends down and is attached to the end of the lever G, opposite to the connectingrod F, previously described.

The operation will be as follows: A bottle being filled is placed upon the stand or plate C, and a cork is, at the same time, placed in the receiver and guide J. By placing the foot upon the treadle I, the lever G will be turned about its axis. This forces the rod D and plate C, with the bottle, upward, by its action upon the connecting-rod F, while the opposite rod 0 is pulled down at the same time, thus drawing the plunger L downward, and forcing the cork through the guide into the bottle.

A spring, 1?, either upon the rod 0 or surrounding the shaft of the lever G, serves to return the parts to their first position after the bottle is corked.

By this construction the operation of corking is all performed at one movement, and this movement is comparatively short, because both bottle and cork move together.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

l. The self adjusting cork receiver and guide, consisting of the hollow cylinder, flanged at i i, and working loosely in the guide K, so as to adapt itself to dit'terent-sized bottles, as set forth.

2. The oscillating lever G, having the connecting-rods F and 0, 1m iting its opposite ends with the plate C and the plunger L, respectively, for the purpose of giving these parts a simultaneous movement toward each other,

substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal.

JAMES ARMSTRONG. [L. s]

Witnesses JOHN L. Rooms, 0. M. RICHARDSON. 

